Automatic valve cap for collapsible tubes



Jan. 8, 1963 M. M. JUNAID AUTOMATIC VALVE CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBESFiled Nov. 15, 1960 M/A/V M. JU/VA/O 772 772 [3 v ,4 rroe/vs v5 13,@72,3d Patented Jan. 8, 1953 3,072,304 AUTGMATKC VALVE CA? FORCULEAPMELE TUE-ES Minn M. .iunaid, Karachi, Pakistan (EconomicQansuitant to the Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Commerce, PakistanSecretariat H, Rawaipindi, Painlstan) Filed Nov. 15, 196i), fier. No.69AM) 7 Claims. (Ci. 222493) This invention relates to dispenser closuredevices, and more particularly to a self-closing cap assembly for acollapsibie tube of the type containing paste-like material.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedself-closing cap and spout assembly for a co1- lapsible tube, theassembly involving very simple components, being neat in appearance, andinvolving no detachable parts.

A further object of the inventoin is to provide an improved self-closingcap and spout assembly for a collapsible tube containing paste-lil ematerial, said assembly being inexpensive to fabricate, being durable inconstruction, allowing the paste-like material in the tube to bedispensed automatically responsive to squeezing pressure on the tube,and closing automatically when the squeezing pressure is released.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of the upper portion of a collapsibletube containing paste-like material and provided with an improvedself-closing cap and spout assembly constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the cap isdistended to open position and the dispensing tube of the assembly isextended responsive to squeezing pressure applied to the tubeillustrated in FiGURE l.

FEGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FiGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view, similar to FIGURE 3, butshowing the positions of the parts when squeezing pressure is applied tothe collapsible tube in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken through amodifi d form of self-closing cap assembly according to the presentinvention, the spout portion being shown in its normal closed position.

FiGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken throughthe spout portion of a further modified form of self-closing capassembly according to the present invention, the spout portion beingshown in its normal closed position.

FEGURE 7 is a vertical cross sectional View of the spout element ofFIGURE 6, shown in dispensing position, namely, in an upwardly distendedposition assumed in response to the pressure developed by the pastematerial when squeezing pressure is applied to the tube.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a collapsible tubecontaining paste material, such as toothpaste, shaving cream, or thelike, the tube comprising a main body 12 of relatively malleable thinmetal, such as metal foil, or the like, and being formed with a neckportion 13 at its top end. Secured in the generally annular neck portion13 is a cap assembly, designated generally at 14, the assembly 14 beingintegrally formed of flexible resilient material, such as flexibleresilient plastic material of polyethylene or material having similarphysical characteristics. The cap member 14 is permanently securedinside the generally annular neck portion 13, by suitable cement, or anyother suitable fastening means.

The cap member 14 comprises the generally annular main body to which isintegrally formed at its top end with a thickened closure disc 17, theclosure disc being formed with a diametral slit 18 and being furtherformed beneath said slit with an upwardly converging recess 19. As willbe presently explained, when the two segments of the relatively thickdisc element 17 spread apart, due to distension of the spout portion ofthe cap member, the walls 2t 20 of the slit 18 separate in the mannerillus tratecl in FIGURES 2 and 4, and the recess 19 opens to define apassage through which the dispensing spout portion of the cap assemblymay project.

The bottom portion of the cap assembly 14 comprises a flexible diaphragm22 which is formed with the central spout portion 2.3, the spout portioncomprising a conduit which is normally disposed immediately subjacentthe recess 19, extending upwardly from the main body of the diaphragm22., as shown in FlGURE 3, the diaphragm 22 and the spout portion 23,integral therewith, being rela tively thin and being readily yielclableupwardly to pressure exerted in the paste-like contents 24 of the tube11 when squeezing pressure is applied to the tube, as will be presentlydescribed.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the Walls of the conduit 23 normally closelyengage each other, the conduit being thus in a flattened condition undernormal conditions, and the conduit is supported immediately below therecess 19, the conduit sealing the container 11 so that the pastelikecontents 24 thereof are sealed from the atmosphere. As shown in FlGURE3, the diaphragm 22 is normally downwardly convex in contour.

When squeezing pressure is applied to the thin malleable main body ofthe metal collapsible tube H, as shown in FIGURE 2, pressure isdeveloped in the past like contents 2d of the tube, said pressure beingtransmitted to the diaphragm 22 and causing paste-like material to beforced upwardly into the conduit 23, expanding the conduit and forcingthe conduit upwardly into the recess 19, causing the disc member 17 tobe distended upwardly in the manner shown in FIGURE 4, the expandedupwardly tapering conduit 23 being forced through the opening defined bythe spread-apart walls of the recess 19 in the manner illustrated inFIGURE 4. The conduit 23 is of suificient length so that a substantialportion thereof will project upwardly between the spreadapart segmentsof the distended disc element 17, and pastelike material will be forcedout of the conduit 23 in the manner shown at 2.7 in FIGURE 4. When thesqueezing pressure is released, the pressure in the paste-like material24 is accordingly reduced, and the walls of the upper portions of theslit 18 come together, the upper wall portions of said slit adjacent therecess 19 engaging the spout 23 and exerting inward force thereon to cutoff any further discharge of the paste-like material from the spoutmember, while at the same time the spout member is retracted downwardlyand tends to resume its normal collapsed position, shown in FIGURE 3.Thus, the pastelike material remaining in the upper portion of the spoutmember 23 is forced out of the spout member, while at the same time thecollapsed spout member is retracted downwardly between the walls of theslit 18 adjacent the recess 19 and ultimately is drawn downwardly belowthe disc member 17, resuming the normal position thereof shown in FIGURE3. In said normal position, the spout member 23 is in sealing collapsedposition, whereby the interior of the collapsible tube 11 is sealed withrespect to the atmosphere.

As will be readily apparent, the relatively thick top cover disc member17 defines a protective closure for the assembly, protecting therelatively fragile spout member 23 against mechanical damage, and alsocovering the spout member so that it will not normally becontamiexpenses nated. Thus, the spout member 23 is exposed only whensqueezing pressure is applied to the body 12 of the collapsible tube,namely, will be exposed only when paste material is being dispensed fromthe tube.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURE 5, the flexible diaphragm,shown at 22 is integrally connected to the periphery of the closure disc17 at 3t said periphery being secured to the top portion of the neck 31of the paste tube container. With this arrangement, when squeezingpressure is applied to the paste tube container, the pressure of thepaste material forces the diaphragm upwardly toward the dotted viewposition thereof, and the distortion of the diaphragm develops tensionin the disc member 17 tending to pull the respective segments onopposite sides of the slit 18 apart. The slit therefore opens before thetop end of the spout portion 23 engages the interior surface of therecess 19, so that there is no possibility of the interior of the recessbecoming smeared with the paste material. The spout passes upwardlythrough the open slit substantially to the dotted view position thereofin FIGURE 5. When the squeezing pressure is released, the spout portion23 tends to flatten, pinching away the paste material exterior thereto,and closes, cutting off further discharge. The spout retracts into thespace below disc member 1'7, and the release of tension in the discmember closes the slit 18. Thus, the slit 18 may open and close withoutthe spout portion 23 ever coming into contact with the wall surfaces ofthe slit or of the recess 19.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of diaphragm and spoutstructure which may be employed in place of the diaphragm 22 and spout23 of FIGURES 1 to 4. In the modified form of the invention illustratedin FIGURES 6 and 7, the diaphragm, shown at 32, normally has an upwardlyconvex configuration, and the spout member, shown at 33 normally extendsdownwardly into the paste-like material 24. When squeezing pressure isapplied to the container, the pressure is transmitted to the diaphragm22, forcing the spout member 33 upwardly to the upwardly directedposition shown in FIG- URE 7, simultaneously expanding the spout member33 and forcing the spout member into the recess 19 of the cap 17,forcing the segments of the cap apart and allowing the spout member 33to project upwardly through the opening defined by the spread-apartsegments of recess 19 and the portions of the walls of the slit 24immediately above the recess, in a manner generally similar to thatillustrated in FIGURE 4. Thus, the operation of the dispensing tube withthe diaphragm structure of FIG URES 6 and 7 is generally the same as theoperation described in connection with the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGURES l to 4, except that the configuration of thediaphragm 32 and spout 33 are different from the configuration of thediaphragm 22 and spout 23 in the first-described form of the invention.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved dispensing enclosurecap assembly for a collapsible tube have been disclosed in the foregoingdescription, it will be understood that various modifications within thespirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art.Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the inventionexcept as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a collapsible tube having a neck portion, a capmember of flexible resilient material permanently secured to said neckportion, said cap member being formed with a slit located to define anopening when the cap member is distended outwardly, a flexible diaphragmsecured in said neck portion, and a normally closed discharge spoutintegrally formed in said diaphragm, said discharge spout being normallydisposed below the slit and said diaphragm and discharge spout beingsufliciently yieldable to distend upwardly and to project the dischargespout through said openhig when 4i squeezing pressure is applied to thecollapsible tube, the space in the cap member around the discharge spoutbeing exposed to the atmosphere through said opening when said dischargespout is projected through the opening.

2. In combination, a collapsible tube containing pastelike material,said tube having a neck portion, a cap member of flexible resilientmaterial permanently secured to said neck portion, said cap member beingformed with a slit located to define an opening when the cap member isdistended outwardly, a flexible diaphragm secured in said neck portion,and a normally closed discharge spout integrally formed in saiddiaphragm, said discharge spout eing normally disposed below the slitand said diaphragm and discharge spout being snfliciently yieldable todistend upwardly and to project the discharge spout through said openingunder the pressure developed in said paste-like material when squeezingpressure is applied to the collapsible tube, the space in the cap memberaround the discharge spout being exposed to the atmosphere through saidopening when said discharge spout is projected through the opening.

3. In combination, a collapsible tube containing pastelike material,said tube having a neck portion, a cap member of flexible resilientmaterial permanently secured to said neck portion, said cap member beingformed with a slit located to define an opening when the cap member isdistended outwardly, a flexible diaphragm of relatively thin flexiblematerial secured in said neck portion, and a normally closed dischargespout integrally formed in said diaphragm, said discharge spout beingnormally disposed below the slit and said diaphragm and discharge spoutbeing sufliciently yieldable to distend upwardly and to project thedischarge spout through said opening under the pressure developed insaid paste-like material when squeezing pressure is applied to thecollapsible tube, the space in the cap member around the discharge spoutbeing exposed to the atmosphere through said opening when said dischargespout is projected through the openmg.

4. In combination, a collapsible tube containing pastelike material,said tube having a neck portion, a cap member of flexible resilientmaterial permanently secured to said. neck portion, said cap memberbeing formed with a slit located to define an opening when the capmember is distended outwardly, a flexible diaphragm of relatively thinflexible material secured in said neck portion, and a normally closeddischarge spout integrally formed in said diaphragm, said dischargespout being normally disposed below the slit and said diaphragm anddischarge spout being sufliciently yieldable to distend upwardly and toproject the discharge spout through said opening under the pressuredeveloped in said paste-like material when squeezing pressure is appliedto the collapsible tube, the space in the cap member around thedischarge spout being exposed to the atmosphere through said openingwhen said discharge spout is projected through the opening, saiddischarge spout being normally in a substantially flattened conditionbut expanding to a substantially tubular shape under the pressure of thepaste-like material.

5. In combination, a collapsible tube containing pastelike material,said tube having a neck portion, a cap member of flexible resilientmaterial permanently secured to said neck portion, said cap member beingformed with a slit located to define an opening when the cap member isdistended outwardly, a flexible diaphragm of relatively thin flexiblematerial secured in said neck portion, and a normally closed dischargespout integrally formed in said diaphragm, said discharge spout beingnormally disposed below the slit and said diaphragm and discharge spoutbeing sufliciently yieldable to distend upwardly and to project thedischarge spout through said opening under the pressure developed insaid paste-like material when squeezing pressure is applied to thecollapsible tube, the space in the cap member around the discharge spoutbeing exposed to the atmosphere through said opening when said dischargespout is projected through the opening, said discharge spout beingnormally in a substantially flattened condition but expanding to asubstantially tubular shape under the pressure of the paste-likematerial, the discharge spout resuming its normal substantiallyflattened condition to cut otf flow of paste-like material therethroughwhen the squeezing pressure on the tube is released.

6. In combination, a collapsible tube containing pastelike material,said tube having a neck portion, a cap member of flexible resilientmaterial permanently secured to said neck portion, said cap member beingformed With a slit located to define an opening when the cap member isdistended outwardly and formed with an upwardly convergent recessadjacent said slit, a flexible diaphragm of relatively thin flexiblematerial secured in said neck portion, and a normally closed dischargespout integrally formed in said diaphragm, said discharge spout beingnormally disposed below the slit and said diaphragm and discharge spoutbeing sufliciently yieldable to distend upwardly and elevate thedischarge spout and to project the discharge spout through said openingunder the pressure developed in said paste-like material when squeezingpressure is applied to the collapsible tube, the space in the cap memberaround the discharge spout being exposed to the atmosphere through saidopening when said discharge spout is projected through the opening, saiddischarge spout being normally in a substantially flattened conditionbut expanding to a substantially tubular shape under the pressure of thepaste-like material, the discharge spout resuming its substantiallyflattened condition to cut ofl flow of paste-like material therethroughwhen squeezing pressure on the tube is released.

7. In a device of the character described, a collapsible containerprovided with an extensible spout which extends responsive to squeezingpressure applied to the container and which retracts when the squeezingpressure is released, means defining a normally closed chamber receiving the spout in its retracted condition, said-spout including meansopening said chamber and exposing the space around the spout to theatmosphere responsive to References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Cole Dec. 9, 1952 Schafler Aug. 14, 1956

1. IN COMBINATION, A COLLAPSIBLE TUBE HAVING A NECK PORTION, A CAP MEMBER OF FLEXIBLE RESILIENT MATERIAL PERMANENTLY SECURED TO SAID NECK PORTION, SAID CAP MEMBER BEING FORMED WITH A SLIT LOCATED TO DEFINE AN OPENING WHEN THE CAP MEMBER IS DISTENDED OUTWARDLY, A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM SECURED IN SAID NECK PORTION, AND A NORMALLY CLOSED DISCHARGE SPOUT INTEGRALLY FORMED IN SAID DIAPHRAGM, SAID DISCHARGE SPOUT BEING NORMALLY DISPOSED BELOW THE SLIT AND SAID DIAPHRAGM AND DISCHARGE SPOUT BEING SUFFICIENTLY YIELDABLE TO DISTEND UPWARDLY AND TO PROJECT THE DISCHARGE SPOUT THROUGH SAID OPENING WHEN SQUEEZING PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE, THE SPACE IN THE CAP MEMBER AROUND THE DISCHARGE SPOUT BEING EXPOSED TO THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH SAID OPENING WHEN SAID DISCHARGE SPOUT IS PROJECTED THROUGH THE OPENING. 